torn between
by wildhorses1492
Summary: Sam and Jake are from different worlds. Can they show everyone around them that that doesn't matter when two people love each other?
1. antelope and injury

LOVE STORY;

**The year: 1883. **

**Time: When Indians lived on reservations, and were considered savages and nuisances. If they tried to do anything from the old ways they could be put in jail. they were forced to give up their land or live on reservations that had little or next to no food on them, it was the end of an age and the beginning of a new one; the end of the Indians, and the dawn of the White Man.**

* * *

Sam:

the day had started out well for Sam, so later on into the afternoon, she decided to ask her father if she could go for a ride. "Father, may I go for a ride?" "Yes Samantha, but please be careful, if you should happen to see any Indians, you come back as fast as you can, McCarthy saw some savages trespassing on his land a few days ago; when he asked them what that were doing, they said looking for food, as if we haven't given those damn savages enough." her father muttered the last part so that it was unintelligible. "Yes I'll be careful, I promise." "Thank-you, now please ask Red to tack up Ace, remember last time?" Yes, she regretfully remembered the last time she had tried to do it by herself, she had nearly ruined her dress. "Red, where are you?" she called as she entered the barn. "I'm here." he called from Quick Silver's stall. Silver belonged to Red and surprisingly enough he wasn't even silver but Bay with one white sock, and a small star on his forehead, Red claimed to have owned Silver, since he was born, He also claimed to be one-fourth Indian. Which as far as she could tell he wasn't. "Could you tack up Ace for me? Father insists." "Fine, but you better not grumble about the side-saddle this time, I'm gettin' sick of it." "Thanks Red!" she went and sat on a bail of hay to wait till he finished. "Red, what do you think my father means about the Indians trespassing?" "He just means that they can't seem to stay on their own bloody land, they think they have to have ours too. that's all." "Oh." was her thoughtful reply.

* * *

Jake:

He and his brothers were out hunting, and trespassing, on land that they had once owned. But what else could they do? he thought angrily. The government had promised them land and plentiful food. but as all Indians had seen so far, the white man was still forked-tongued as ever. Their families and friends were starving, Kit's children were pitiful in the fact that they never complained even though he could tell they were still hungry. So they were having to resort to the last possible maneuver, hunting on a white man's land. They all knew that if they were found-out, they would most likely be arrested for trespassing. and the Sherriff would only classify them as lying heathen if they told the truth. "Should we really keep doing this?" Seth asked nervously. "What else is there to do? My family is starving, I won't watch them die at the hand of some foolish, arrogant white man!" He said vehemently. "Jakob, what do you think?" Quinn asked. he didn't say anything, just nodded in the direction of the large grey stallion some distance ahead of them. They, the Shoshone, called him 'The untamed Spirit' but from stories they had heard, the White Men called him 'The Phantom Stallion', whatever the name; the stallion always led them to a plentiful hunting ground. "Jake as usual, is right, we should follow the stallion." Nate said; ever the practical one, next to Jake of course. As they turned their horses to the course of the stallion's something red caught Jake's eye. "_what the..."_ He left the sentence unfinished as he turned his horse in the direction of, whatever _it_ was.

* * *

Sam:

she had mounted up and had been riding on the _playa_ for some time. since that first day that she had seen the silver stallion, she had wanted to follow it and see it again. She never told her father that he was the reason for her unexplained visits to the desert and surrounding country-side.

The rattle snake came out of nowhere it seemed, and even faster she found herself falling off Ace, the ground loomed closer... with a shriek of fear and surprise, she fell headlong onto the dusty _playa_ blackness swallowed her, quiet, peaceful, darkness.

Ace, meanwhile, gave a nervous buck and cantered off, back to the safety of his stall and the comforting hand of an understanding human, who he was hopeful, would feed him.

* * *

Jake:

"What are you doing Jakob Ely? We have to get back with something before nightfall! Not next week!" Bryan shouted angrily. he also having a family to feed. 'I just want to look at somethin'." he said in a normal tone reminding Bryan that shouting was a good way to get unwanted attention. as he finished his sentence his brothers saw the bit of red on the _playa _as well. "what do you think it could be?" Seth said uneasily. his horse, sensing his riders' unease, shifted and flicked his ears back and forth. "Don't know, we'll just have to follow Jake." Nate said. they all turned their horses in the same direction as Jake, and nudged their horses to a trot. As they caught up with him Kit decided to ask him his opinion about it. 'What do you think?" "Dunno." Was the only answer. "What do you mean you 'don't know'?" Jake wisely didn't reply. "What if its an ambush?" Quinn now started to worry. "Can't be, if it was they would've started shootin' by now." Kit said practically. Jake dismounted. "Its a girl." he said surprised. Quinn came over, "A pretty girl." he said. "Quinn will you shut up?" Kit came over to have a look. "What the heck is a white girl doing all the way out here?" "I can't figure it." Jake said. "Well Mama wouldn't be happy if we left her out here. Even the wolves have got to eat. Jake why don't you take her home, and we'll keep looking for food." As he finished a large herd of antelope came bounding across the plain. "Well Spirit did lead us to an excellent hunting ground, as usual, Seth, stop your worrying; we'll be home before dark after all!" With a low cry to their horses they sped off after the antelope. leaving Jake with the girl. _"She is rather pretty."_ he mused. laughing softly to himself, at the thought of what Quinn would look like if he had said that out loud. The large grey stallion trotted up to him carefully, and at a safe distance away he snorted, then stretched his head out and breathed in the sent of the girl on the ground. "What boy?" The stallion's head came up at Jake's voice. as the horse shook his neck the feather's braided and sewn into his mane blew in the breeze. "Well guess I'd better take her home with us." he picked up the girl and then mounted up.

* * *

Sam:

Sam slowly came into consciousness she realized that she was on a horse. _"Where am I?" _she thought apprehensively. she shifted slightly, and realized someone was holding her. "Hey she's waking up!" someone exclaimed, and from the sound of the person's voice she could tell it was a boy. she looked up into dark worried eyes. "Who are you?" she asked, growing nervous. "I think the better question would be who are you?" his eyebrows rose. "Where am I?" She asked. "Near my home." "You mean _our_ home, or did you just forget everyone else?" Quinn could not stop himself from smart-mouthing back.

_"This is NOT good!" _she thought. "I can sit up you know." she said trying to move slightly. his horse stopped. "So, can you take me home?" the brothers looked at each other. Suddenly it dawned on her, they were Indians.

* * *

The Indian is the only true American,

He fought and died for his country.

Today he has no vote, no country, and is not an American citizen.

But history will never forget him. ~ Charles M. Russell

* * *

**A/N: well, what did you think? Review please! I just added the C.M. Russell quote because I thought it was in keeping with this story. I hope it didn't offend anyone! And if anyone doesn't know who he is, well he was a famous cowboy artist.**


	2. Names, and horses

**LOVE STORY;**

**THE YEAR: 1883**

**THE TIME: -**

* * *

Sam:

"You're Indians, aren't you?" She asked. "Yes." The young man who was holding her answered.

"Can you please take me home?" "Miss, don't you know anything about us?" Kit said looking her in the eye. "We can't just ride up to your house and expect to be welcomed into your front door you know, Not many people even think we should be allowed to live on the reservations." Sam looked around, and realized that they were still on River Bend property.

"Well your trespassing now, aren't you?" "Only to feed our families that are starving because of your government!" Bryan replied angrily. "I didn't know." Sam said. "Can you please put me down so I can walk home then?" "Fine, but its gettin' dark and even the wolves will have to eat." Jake said smirking.

Sam narrowed her eyes at him, that smirk reminded her of a Tom cat sitting in the sun after a good meal. "Well I can hold my own, thank you for your concern!" She replied. "She is such a brat." Quinn whispered to Nate. "I heard that!" "I expected you would." Jake answered. "Put me down!" Sam demanded. "No, besides, Mama wouldn't like it that we just left you out here to fend for yourself." Sam looked around, and realized that she might as well go with them. "I suppose your right." Sam said, sighing.

* * *

Jake:

"Hey she's waking up!" Seth exclaimed. The girl shifted in his arms. As the girl looked up at him it only took a second to realize that she was quite beautiful. He looked at her and his eyes showed worry as she winced slightly when she moved her neck and head. "Who are you?" She asked, looking slightly scared. "I think the better question would be who are you?" He said, raising his eyebrows. "Where am I?" She asked. "Near my home." Jake said, as he realized that her eyes were green with a slight bit of gold. "Near _our_ home you mean, or did you just forget that all of us existed?" Quinn said, looking at him, and grinning. Jake shot him a look.

She looked uneasy after that exchange. "I can sit up you know." She said, her fear quickly disappearing. When she moved slightly onto a sitting position, his horse, Blackhawk, stopped. "She looked at him and said, "So, can you take me home?" "Jake and his brothers looked at each other, knowing that if they took her home, it could be suicide.

"Your Indians, aren't you?" She asked, looking around at them, seeing the slain antelope swung across the fronts of their horses. "Yes." Jake figured that they might as well give her some answers. "Can you please take me home?" She asked, her eyes begging. Kit met and held her gaze, saying, "Miss, don't you know anything about us? We can't just ride up to your house and expected to be welcomed into your front door you know, not many people even thing we should be allowed to live on the reservations."

She looked around, then Jake realized that they were still on her families' property probably. "Well your trespassing now, aren't you?" "Only to feed our families that are starving because of your government!" Bryan said angrily, Hatred burning in his eyes. "I didn't know." She said, looking at them with sadness.

"Can you please put me down so I can walk home then?" "Fine, but it's gettin' dark and even the wolves have got to eat." Jake said smirking at her. She narrowed her eyes at him, _that_ made him want to laugh. "I can hold my own, but thank you for your concern!" "She is such a Brat!" Quinn stage-whispered to Nate. "I heard that!" She said indignantly. "I expected you would." Jake said. "Put me down!" She said angrily, twisting in his grip.

"No, besides, Mama wouldn't like it that we just left you out here to fend for yourself." Jake watched her look around, and a slight bit of resignation came onto her face. "I suppose your right." She sighed. Jake wished that he could take her home, if only to make her happy again. "_Wait, why do I care if she's happy or not, she's a white girl, I shouldn't care if she lives of dies out here!"_ "Come on, we still have quite a ways to go before dark!" Kit said, urging his horse into a gallop.

* * *

Sam:

_"well, this is rather unusual. I'm going to spend the night in an Indian camp, I wonder what it'll be like?" _"What's your mother like?" She asked Jake. "Don't you think you should tell us your name first?" "Of course, I'm sorry, its Samantha Forster, but most people call me Sam." "Well, _Sam_, our mother is very nice, I think you'll like her." Kit suddenly shouted. "Why's he doing that?" Sam asked, curiosity overcoming her pain for a moment. "It's just to tell the Brave on watch that we're not an enemy." Jake said. Suddenly the narrow ribbon of dirt that they were following widened into a path, and in a clearing in the trees were several tents, fires, some small gardens, and quite a few men, women and children, but Sam noticed, no corrals for the horses, they seemed to just wander as they pleased. "Why don't you keep your horses in a corral so you can catch them faster when you need them?"

Jake replied; "All these horses are half wild, we don't break them, we let them choose if they want to be with us and work with us, they aren't just animals, but living, breathing beings, that also can think and feel. Would you want to be trapped in a pen all the time?" He finished, looking at her. He helped her dismount, and then, after he was on the ground himself, he let his horse go. As his horse walked off, a beautiful grey stallion, with feathers and beads woven and braided into his mane came galloping into the camp.

"It's him." Sam breathed. Jake looked over at her, "Who?" He asked. "The grey stallion I saw on the _playa _yesterday, and the week before that." "Is that why you were on the _playa_ today, lookin' for him?" "Yes." Sam said turning to face him. "You know, I just thought of something, you now know my name, but I don't know yours, or any of those other men's names."

"Well my name's Jakob, but everyone calls me Jake. I'm the youngest of all my brothers. Kit, he was the one riding the white and black paint, is the oldest. Quinn, he was riding the grey, he's before me. Seth is before Quinn, he was riding the chestnut with the black dorsal stripe, and Bryan, he was the one that seemed angry, but he'll get over it. Nate's the next oldest, he was riding the black mare."

"Wow, that's a lot of brothers, I noticed that you all have, well Christian names, why? If I may ask." Sam said looking curious. "You'll see." Jake said smiling. Sam rubbed the back of her neck, it was really starting to ache. 'I think you should get you cuts and bruises seen to." Jake said, nodding toward one of the tents. "Yes, I'm starting to feel them." Sam said smiling ruefully. "My grandfather can help lessen the pain, but first I think I need to tell my father and mother that we have a guest in camp."

Sam followed him to the tent that he had pointed out, and inside she saw something that surprised her. a white woman was tending one of the fires over which some meat was roasting. When she heard the noise at the opening to the tent she straitened and turned to face them. "Hello Jakob, who's this?" The woman asked, suddenly Sam knew why they all had Christian names, their mother was white.

"Mama, this is Samantha Forster, we found her on the _playa_, her horse had thrown her."

"Nice to meet you Samantha, my name is Maxine, but everyone just calls me Max." The petite blonde woman said smiling. this was going to be interesting...

* * *

**A/: **

**well what do you think? this chapter is for Emily and Katrina the unicorn, thanks guys for your support!**


	3. Aloe and odd?

**LOVE STORY;**

**THE YEAR: 1883**

**TIME: - A/N's will be at bottom of chapters.**

* * *

Sam & Jake:

"Well Samantha, you got yourself into quite a scrape! Lets see what MacArthur can do about these cuts and bruises, shall we?"

Jake just smirked at Sam as his mother spoke, knowing that his mother might have voiced that as a request, but really it was a command.

"Just follow me dear," Max said, walking to another opening in the large tent. "Yes'm." Sam said following.

"Sam how did you get to be all the way out on the _playa_?"

"I was riding my horse, looking for something, when I was thrown."

"Well, I'll have my sons take you back home in a few days. Your parents are probably worried."

"Why can't I go back tomorrow?" Sam asked, looking at Max with interest. "Because we want to make sure of a few things before you leave Dear, that's all." "Oh." Was all Sam said.

"Arthur, I need your help with something." Max said when they arrived at yet another tent.

"What is it Birdie?"

"I thought your mane was Maxine?" Sam said looking at Max.

"It is, but when I was a little girl and used to visit the Indian camp often I was given the nickname 'Birdsong' Because my Father had taught me how to whistle like several different kinds of birds." She finished just as Arthur came out of the tent.

"Well, who's this?" MacArthur said, looking at Sam with surprise.

"The boys found her on the _playa_, her horse threw her."

"Well, lets see what we can do, come with me." Arthur said. He liked this girl, she reminded him of Maxine when she had been younger, spunky, determined, and brave. he walked over to several bags hanging on the poles supporting the tent, and pulled out some leaves, which he ground up and applied to her scrapes and cuts.

"Ouch! That stuff burns!" Sam exclaimed in surprise.

"It's taking out the infection, I expect that it would." Arthur said mildly.

"Now, child, what brought you out here, I'm curious to know."

"A few days ago I saw a grey Mustang stallion on the _playa,_ and, well, I wanted to get closer to him, he seemed so majestic, and wild, and... free. I just wanted to be around him, to see what it would feel like to actually be really, truly free."

Sam finished, shocked that she had told all that to someone she hardly knew, but as she thought about it she realized that the reason everything came so easy, was because it felt like she could tell him everything, and he wouldn't reprove her for saying it, like her father and grandmother would. Even though she loved them, it just wasn't easy to talk to them like she had just talked to Arthur.

"Well, child, that is quite the story. I hope I meet you again in the future, I hope you choose the right life-path to follow."

And with that, Macarthur left the tent to go tend his horses, but he didn't tell her that. Sam just sat there and stared after the elderly man, long after he had left. What could he possibly mean? It was all very strange, just as the way her heart started to pound with the thought of coming back here again and seeing Jake, wait, why did she want to see him? She had only just met him today. She shook her head, making her realize again, that it was still very sore.

"Sam, are you going to come out Dear? Or do I have to come and get you?" Max said, having seen Arthur leave moments ago. realizing he had probably left her with a cryptic message once again. Even though she had spent most of her live with the Indians, she would never come to understand Macarthur. She thought with a shake of her head.

"No, I'm coming!" Sam shouted, her daze lifted my Maxs' words. She hurried out of the tent, wondering if she would run into Jake again.

* * *

**A/N: Well review people! come on! I'm desperate to know if I should continue this story! I don't want to keep writing something that no one reads! So please review! thank you, Wildhorses1492**

**'Every horse has something to teach, every human, something to learn.' ~ Unknown**


	4. A great loss

**LOVE STORY;**

**TIME:**

**YEAR:**

* * *

Sam & Jake:

As Jake walked back to camp, he had let Blackhawk go, needing to think without her constant nudging's, he looked up at the sky, and watched the beautiful sunset, and when the sky turned reddish-gold, it made him think, for some strange reason that he couldn't fathom, about how red Sam's hair was when it had shone in the sun on the _playa_. And how soft it was. He shook his head, he needed to stop thinking about her, she would be gone in two days if not three. _"Get over her!"_ his mind told him.

As he entered his family's tent, who should run onto him but Sam? As she was going out, he was coming in.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Sam said, slightly shocked.

"No, it was me." Jake answered. Annoyed that he felt so weird and uncomfortable around her. Jake walked back in with Sam. As the family meal progressed Quinn looked over at Sam and asked;

"So, why was it that you came to be sprawled out on the playa today?" He finished, grinning.

"Well, I wanted to go for a ride, and then, well... my horse bucked me off, and here I am." She said brightly.

"So, your here, in an Indian camp because you can't ride?" Seth asked, looking at her in mock shock.

"Of course I can ride!" Sam exclaimed indignantly.

"Well since you can't ride, we'll just put it upon ourselves to teach you how to ride while your here." Quinn said, ignoring her protests, and smiling innocently at her whilst she glared, with her arms crossed.

"I can ride! And you'll pay for saying that!" She said. Looking like she was cooking something up in that way only Sam can look.

"Well we'll see tomorrow, now will everyone please help me with the food?" Max said, commanding instant attention from her boys, whilst they all groaned.

"Come on mama, do we have to?" Quinn asked looking at her.

"Yes, I'm your mother, and you'll do as I say." She said, smiling as they all got up to do as bided. Max came over to Sam. "While the boys clean up, I'll get you some suitable clothing for your stay here, you don't want to wear that ragged dress the entire time do you?" She finished, saying that because Sam looked slightly uneasy.

"Sure, I guess I don't really have any choice, do I?" Sam said.

"No, you have every choice, if you don't want to you don't have to, but it would be best, and your dress won't get more ruined if you wear something I give you." Max said.

"You do have a point there." Sam said amiably.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Max said, almost girlishly. She grabbed Sam by the arm and pulled her to another section of the tent, behind a partition.

"I've always wanted a girl, but never got one, just one boy after another, so do you mind of I sort of, well, treat you like a daughter for the remainder of your stay?"

Sam was amazed, and touched, she had never known her mother, and suddenly she realized that this was probably what a mother was like, someone who cared about you, and loved you, and wanted you to be comfortable, and clean, and happy. Tears of happiness and amazement for this woman that had every right to hate her, and yet didn't, instead she loved her and wanted to treat her like a daughter, welled in her eyes.

"What's wrong dear," Max asked looking concerned. "I'll understand if you don't want me to." Max finished, smiling at her in understanding.

"No, it's not that, it's just , Well, I never knew my mother, and.. I..." Sam couldn't finish, she looked down at the dirt floor that was covered in skins.

"I understand, I lost my Mother and Father when the house they had built caught on fire, I had been sixteen of course, and I had the Indians as a place to go and live, but I understand, to a degree, your loss."

"Thank you." Sam whispered, looking up at her, tears tracking down her face.

"It's fine sweetie, just fine, now, lets find you a new outfit!" Max said, taking Sam's mind off of her more painful thoughts. About half an hour later, Sam came back around the partition, but now her long hair was done down, and she was wearing a deerskin dress, looking much like Maxine, except for the red hair. Jake at first was in slight shock, but he quickly covered it, not fast enough for his mother to miss it though.

_"Oh, now I know why he went off alone. Sam, you've got the hardest one to love you, but I don't know how this will work if your family is anything like mine was before they met the Indians, and came to understand them."_ Maxine shook her head at what she pictured in her mind, if Sam loved her son as much as he was falling for her, their love was going to be _very _difficult. _"I wonder how this will end." _Maxine thought as she walked over to where Luke was standing.

"I think you need to try to talk to your son." Max said calmly, as they both watched the boys and Sam talk and banter.

"Which one?" He replied, equally as calm.

"Jake, have you noticed?"

"Yes, I figured that she was the reason for his walk by himself, but I wanted to be sure of it first." Luke answered.

"Oh, Dear, what are they going to do? Life isn't the same way if was back when we got married, almost no one talks to Indians anymore, you and I both know how it is, and how they treat your people."

"Yes, Maxine, I know.

"Do you ever think Jake will talk to her?"

"I don't know, you know how he feels more than I do." Luke answered her.

"You and I both know that he doesn't talk to me much, at least not since the death of his mare Witch."

"Yes, that was a cruel thing for those white men to do, humiliating our people like that." Luke said, his anger rising as he remembered the day only a year ago, that they had been once again forced off land that had been promised to them to have forever, to make room for the settlers.

He remembered how those soldiers had shot Jake's horse because it was a 'lesson' to them not to rebel against the 'Great white fathers' And they hadn't shot only Jake's horse, they had shot fifteen others as well, most of their good breeding stock, and riding mounts. They had barely missed shooting Luke's mare Swifthawk, who was the Dam of Jake's new horse. Jake had withdrawn for quite a while, it had been the wild grey stallion that had brought him out of his depression. But Jake still wasn't the same, even thought his new horse, Blackhawk, had the same temperament as Witch had.

"I'll talk to him tomorrow." Luke said. Wondering what the next day would bring.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, I know I killed Witch, sorry! Your supposed to guess that Witch and Blackhawk are full sisters. **

**The reason I killed her is because I wanted you guys to get the feeling of what it means to be in Jake's position, and his people's. Life wasn't pretty for them, it was really hard, and I wanted to portray that. I kind-of based The Shoshones' loss of their horses on the Nez Pearce Indians. **

**You can read more about them if you want to, but they lost all their horses when they surrendered to U.S. Army, the Army forced them to cross a rushing, swollen river, and most of their horses were swept away, what wasn't was taken by the U.S. Army. If you didn't know this the Nez Pearce Indians bred the Appaloosa horses. they called them 'Palouse's'. **

**And the term, 'Great White Fathers' was a real term that was used to describe our Government. **

**P.S. I titled the chapter after Jake's loss of his horse, and the Shoshones' loss of their freedom.**


	5. Horses, and Hackamores

**LOVE STORY;**

**TIME:**

**YEAR: 1883**

* * *

Sam & Jake:

Sam got up before the sun, she wasn't accustomed to sleeping on animal skins as bedding, and her mixed feelings and emotions were disturbing her sleep. As she got up and moved to the entrance of the tent, she wasn't aware that Jake had also been unable to sleep, for similar reasons, and she nearly ran in to him. Again.

"Oh! Sorry." Sam said, looking up at him.

"Couldn't sleep?" Jake said.

"No, not really. I was thinking about how worried my family must be." Sam said, looking off at the horses, which were dimly visible in the pre-dawn light. A light breeze swept by, causing Sam's hair to blow around. Jake fought the urge to brush it off her face. Sam put it behind her ears.

"So, why does your mother and father want me to stay here?"

"I think it has something to do with the fact that they want to make sure that you won't tell anyone we're so close to them."

Jake didn't go any further than that, Sam knew what he was talking about, and felt bad for him, and his family. Staying with then she had come to realize that Indians weren't very different from her kind at all, in fact, they were almost more kind than her people.

"I like your dress.' Jake said, not looking at her.

"Thank you, your mother said it would be better than ruining my other clothes." Sam blushed hoping he didn't notice.

"She's right, as usual, do you want to see Spirit?" Jake asked, knowing that if he had been in her place he would've wanted to see the horse too.

"Really? You'd let me?" Sam said, unable to keep the excitement from building in her voice.

"I don't see why not, as long as you don't tell anyone else."

"I won't I promise!" Sam said eagerly.

He didn't want any of his brothers to know, they might think that there was something between them. _There wasn't, though._ He forced his mind to think. As they walked over to the horses Jake whistled low, and an answering wild stallion's whistle returned it over the gentle breeze. Blackhawk, and Spirit, otherwise known as 'The Phantom' came galloping up into view. The great white stallion scented the breeze, trying to decide if this other person his master, and friend had brought, was enemy or friend.

Quickly though, the stallion recognized the scent of the girl from the _playa_, and eagerly stepped closer, wanting to meet this new person his master obviously liked. Sam stood still, shocked and awed by the majestic stallion gracefully trotting up to her. The stallion stopped one foot away from her and stretched out his head towards her, scenting her as he would any new horse coming into his herd. He made a low whicker deep in his throat, and stepped closer.

Sam stood still as the stallion rested his muzzle in her palm for an brief instant. Finding no treat he moved to breathe in her scent, whuffing her hair, until he was satisfied that she was now one of his herd members, as Jake was. He turned his finely shaped Arab head in the direction of Blackhawk, and whinnied for her to come over.

The black mare stepped closer, hesitating when she saw Sam, but moving forward when she realized that she wasn't a threat. The two horses touched noses when they came shoulder to shoulder, then Blackhawk showed interest in no one but Jake. Blackhawk, or Blackie, as Jake called her, rubbed her head hard on his shoulder, nearly nocking him over, Jake just laughed, and pushed her head back slightly. Sam thought that Jake seemed more happy with the horses than he had been during dinner last night.

"I'm guessing that she's your horse?" Sam said, smiling.

"Yes, she is."

"How many horses do you have?" Sam asked, not knowing about Witch. Jake frowned at the question,

"I've had four, five horses, but one of them was shot to death, maybe, I really don't know, Jake said, looking away, then looking at Spirit, (a.k.a. Zanzibar.) "But Spirit was her full brother."

"I'm sorry, I lost someone special too, a long time ago. But I know what you mean." Sam nodded sadly, then said;

"I think he likes me."

"Yes, I'd have to agree, he doesn't normally let just anyone touch his head like that." Jake said, gesturing at her hand rubbing the stallions' forehead.

"Do you want to try to ride him, because if you can then you must be a pretty good rider, unlike what my brothers say." Jake said, smirking at her.

"I think I'd like to ride him, and yes, my father says that I'm a very good rider."

"Saddle or no saddle?" Jake asked her.

"I can ride without one." Sam replied.

"That's good, because Spirit doesn't take well to a saddle." Jake said, removing two simple Hackamores off of a pole, and gently pulled them over the horses' heads.

"Are you going to need help mounting up?" Jake asked, tilting his head slightly at an angle.

"No, I'll try it by myself first." Sam said, suddenly realizing that Spirits' back was rather high.

"Suit yourself." Jake said with a shrug.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it's so short! But I wanted to save the ride for the next chapter. I hope that the way I described Zanzibar walking up to Sam was understandable, because every horse I've ever known walks up to me like that. **

**Hint: Your supposed to get the idea that Zanzibar and Witch were twin foals, but whereas Witch was born black with a white star, Zanzibar was born all black, turning white as he aged. I hope this makes some sense to you guys, I'm just trying to describe what I see in my head. **


	6. so much in common

**LOVE STORY;**

**TIME:**

**YEAR: 1883**

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Sam & Jake:

Sam looked at Spirits' head, the stallion was standing docilely as any horse, but Sam knew that this stallion was special. Special to her and special to his master.

"Okay, well, here goes!" Sam muttered to herself. Jake just smiled when he saw her talking to herself.

"You sure you don't want help?" Jake said from atop Blackhawk. Sam temporarily ignored Jake as she tried to mount. Finally, after one failed attempt, she was up.

"Well, you did good, but I'm taking it that you've never mounted a horse without a saddle before?"

"No, its just that I can do it better with pants than in a skirt." Sam huffed.

"I wasn't sayin' anything." Jake said, putting his hands up in mock defense. She was brave though, he had to admit, not many girls would say that. Jake knew Blackhawk didn't really like to wear a hackamore, but he wanted to be in full control of her if Spirit started to get jumpy. But so far his fears were unfounded, the stallion was acting as docile as a horse much older than himself.

"Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be!" Sam said, her excitement becoming visible. Jake just smiled, and started his horse forward at a trot.

Sam was starting to have new respect for the deerskin dress, it was short, but had leggings underneath it, so she could ride astride Spirit, and not look very un-ladylike.

"Want to gallop?" Jake called over his shoulder.

"Yes!" Sam said laughing. Spirit needed no urging, he instantly changed stride. They had been galloping for quite awhile when Jake started to slow Blackhawk down to a trot, then a walk.

"We should rest the horses." He called over his shoulder. Sam stopped Spirit. And asked;

"If we dismount will they leave and then come back?"

"Yes, they will, as long as we're out here they'll come back." He said, dismounting. Sam did the same. The grass was a deep, lush green, and the horses instantly went to grazing. Jake walked over to some rocks that they sat on. Sam looked over at Jake, Wondering what he was thinking. She had had the best time and wanted to thank him, but didn't know how without it sounding awkward.

"Umm... Thanks for letting me ride your horse, and thanks for, umm..., well...not leaving me out on the _playa_, even though you could've." Sam was blushing madly,

And just knew that he would think her totally stupid, and childish for saying that, after all he _had_ said that his mother wouldn't of let him and his brothers just leave her out there to die. Jake looked over at her curiously, as far as he knew on one had ever thanked an Indian before. He smiled, she wasn't like what he had thought she would be.

"Your welcome Sam." He said. Sam was slightly shocked, he didn't think she was a total weirdo at least.

"So, what are your people like? Are they different from mine?"

This was something Jake had wanted to know since he had been old enough to stand watch, wondering why his people were treated so different to him, white or copper skinned they all seem relatively the same, yah, sure they wore different clothes, and talked a different language, but they all seemed to teach their children the same way.

Sam looked over at him to see if he was teasing her or really curious. And was surprised to see that his eyes burned with interest.

It made her want to laugh and cry at the same time, because she had been told all her life that Indians were heartless people that could be taught no other way to live, savages that wanted to kill, not capable of real love, devils that burned houses to the ground with people trapped inside, but now as she looked at Jake she realized that white people had done this very same thing, to them and others, burning houses to the ground, killing people ruthlessly and heartlessly, except she knew white people were slightly worse,

They had done this for hundreds of thousands of years, only to control the little people unable to fight them because they had more sophisticated weapons, and were mounted on horses, much higher off the ground than most. But here, contrary to all she had been taught, was an Indian, and many more like him, that only wanted to know what she and her people were like, and wanted to work with them.

If Indians were really savages then Jake and his brothers would've left her out there to die, she knew that there were also hostile Indians out there, but she would be hostile too, if someone was trying to take her land that she had lived on all her life away.

"Well, to tell you the truth they're not that different from your people, except we don't travel so much, we like to build houses and populate places, and I'll admit, ruin them and move to the next spot, unlike your people." Sam finished.

"I always wanted to know what it was like to live among your people, but my mother said that its very different, and that you don't have as much freedom as we do, is that true?" Jake asked. Slightly annoyed that he was asking her all this, but well, he couldn't help himself.

"Your mother is pretty much correct, I'm afraid. Women, and girls really don't get a say in anything the way they do in your tribe. We really are treated like dumb animals actually."

"Sorry." Jake said, quiet for a moment realizing that Sam was quite an exception to what she had told him.

"Its okay, but to tell you the truth, I'd rather live with the Indians than in my house, not that I don't love my family, but well, you know."

"No. I don't really know but I can guess from experience. We should probably be getting back." Jake said standing as he finished. He helped Sam up, she tripped s, and nearly fell, but he caught her.

"Sorry, I seem to be doing this a lot lately." Sam said, looking sheepish.

"Its fine." Jake said distractedly, looking her in the eyes. She really wanted him to kiss her, wait where did that come from? She thought.

"Your eyes are very lovely." Jake said, as if this was the first time he had noticed.

"Thanks." Sam said breathlessly, standing closer.


	7. Again, NOT A CHAPTER!

**LOVE STORY;**

**TIME:**

**YEAR: 1883**

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**A/N: Sorry guys but I have major writers block on this story! I've written it several different ways, but I don't like them, or they're just basically crap chapters, but I'll keep workin' on it though and I might have somethin' by the end of the week! So sorry dear readers! **

**~ Wildhorses1492**


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